‘Game of Thrones’: 9 Times Kit Harington’s Jon Snow Was a Complete Bad***
Game of Thrones star Kit Harington played one of the most popular characters in the series’ eight seasons — Jon Snow. Three years after the divisive finale, it’s been revealed that Harington has a spinoff in the works titled Snow, which will reportedly follow the character after the events of the original series.
This news got us thinking about our favorite Jon Snow moments in Game of Thrones, and there are a lot to choose from. He defeated the Wildlings, fell in love, and became the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.
He also died, then came back to life, and was proclaimed King of the North. Here are our picks for the top nine times that Kit Harington’s Jon Snow was a complete bad***.
9. Jon Snow makes an example out of Janos Slynt
Janos Slynt (Dominic Carter) was the Commander of King’s Landing’s City Watch. But he was also a coward who betrayed Jon’s hero, Ned Stark (Sean Bean), in season 1. When Janos refused to follow Jon’s orders in Season 5, Episode 3 “High Sparrow,” Jon had no choice but to make an example out of him.
He proceeded to behead Janos, and get a little bit of revenge for the Starks. Jon also followed Ned’s advice: “The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.”
8. Killing Styr in ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 4
Jon got his chance to be a leader and show off his battle skills for the first time when the Wildlings reached the Wall at the end of season 4. During the Battle for Castle Black, they needed Jon to take control — and that’s exactly what he did.
Not only did he coordinate the defenses, he slayed on the battlefield. The best part was when he went one-on-one with the evil Styr (Yuri Kolokolnikov) in a bloody struggle that resulted in Jon killing his enemy.
7. Pleasuring Ygritte in ‘The Cave Scene’
Jon and Ygritte’s (Rose Leslie) romance was bittersweet because they knew it couldn’t last. He could never turn his back on his brothers completely. But he did break his vow of celibacy when he shared a steamy moment with Ygritte in what’s now known as “the cave scene.”
This is a bad*** moment for Jon Snow because he gave Ygritte a pleasure she had never experienced before. It was a moment of happiness in a season filled with backstabbing and murder.
6. Jon Snow heads beyond the wall alone
After the Watch barely fought off the Wildling raiding party in season 4’s penultimate episode — and Jon killed Styr — he made the decision to go beyond the Wall by himself in an attempt to take out Mance Rayder (Ciarán Hinds).
It was in this courageous moment — heading out alone to seemingly certain death — that Jon showed the sacrifice he was willing to make to save his friends.
5. Swinging his Sword at the Wall
Jon took the Lord of Winterfell’s advice once again in season 6 at the coup at the Wall in the episode titled “Oathbreaker.” As the Lord Commander, Jon faced mutiny when Olly (Brenock O’Connor) and Alliser Thorne (Owen Teale) fought back against how the Wildlings killed their people.
To send a message, Jon swung his sword to cut the rope that hung the two men. This was a painful and personal moment because Olly was like a brother to Jon. But it was his duty as a leader and military strategist, with a focus on a Wildlings alliance.
4. Killing his first White Walker in season 5 of ‘Game of Thrones’
In Season 5, Episode 8 “Hardhome,” Jon and Tormund (Kristofer Hivju) recruit 5,000 Wildlings before a blistering attack from an army of White Walkers. This was the first time viewers got to see their destructive power in a brutal, high-octane fight that ended with Jon shattering one of the ice zombies with his Valyrian steel sword, Longclaw.
This was a bad*** reminder that the creatures could be killed. And it taught Jon that Valyrian Steel was not susceptible to the Walker’s touch.
3. Jon Snow comes back to life
You didn’t really think he was dead, did you? After putting fans on edge for months thinking Jon was killed at the end of season 5, he came back to life in Season 6, Episode 2 “Home.”
No matter if fans thought Jon was dead or not, his resurrection was a powerful one. Seeing his eyes flicker and watching him take a huge gasp of air was a bad*** moment, and one of the most memorable of the series.
2. Murdering Daenerys Targaryen
The series finale of Game of Thrones titled “The Iron Throne” was controversial and divisive, but it still featured a bad*** Jon Snow moment. After Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) razed King’s Landing and the Lannisters, Jon was shocked at the monster he’d created. He may not have wanted the throne, but there was no way he could let Daenerys have it, either.
To protect the kingdoms and stay loyal to the people, Jon stabbed Daenerys when she kissed him. Her death caused Drogon to melt the throne and flee, and Jon was broken and in despair over losing her. But, once again, he did what he had to do to keep his people safe in the final act of the war.
1. Jon Snow wins ‘The Battle of the Bastards’ in ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 6
The season 6 episode “The Battle of the Bastards” is considered by many to be the best of the series, and there’s a good reason why. Jon’s claim as the King of the North is cemented in the episode when he wins the battle and beats Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon) — and it’s filled with bad*** moments.
One of the most iconic shots of the entire series was when Jon stood in the middle of the battlefield with his sword drawn as enemy horses ran towards him. But, the most bad*** moment of all was when he went one-on-one with Ramsay.
As Ramsay puts the final arrow in Wun Wun (Ian Whyte) and kills the giant, he taunts Jon about settling their feud with hand-to-hand combat. Covered in mud and blood, Jon grabbed a shield, walked down the arrows, and punched Ramsay over and over again. But instead of killing him, Jon showed restraint and allowed Sansa (Sophie Turner) to finish him off.
All eight seasons of Game of Thrones are available on HBO Max.
